Garage Cooling Ideas????

[jy211]

I am looking for a affordable way to cool off my garage. This 95 degree plus weather, just plain sucks!

[JPO1970]

I am going with a mini split system.

[cheapta]

I know you guys get the brutal humidity down there in FL-it's been pretty tough here in New Enland,too. During the summer I run a big dehumidifier in my shop 24/7 and it helps quite a bit. I keep the doors closed even when I'm working in there and it's much more comfortable than outside. I have a 16" oscillating fan to move the air around.

Pete

[BBC71Nova]

If you don't have insulated garage doors then pick up some foam board at local HD/Lowes and cut to fit the panels. Should help keep a good bit of heat out. That is especially true if the doors face west.

Humidity is tough here in AL too. The dehumidifier is a good idea I hadn't thought of :thumbsup: .

John

[GregWeld]

Well -- it's hard for someone from the "kool side" to give advice to someone where you are... but on HOT days (and occasionally we hit 90's) I use my big ol' 42" fan on low just to move some air and keep me dry.... I bought it from Grainger and it moves a massive amount of air. I usually use it for cooling a car if I'm tuning it etc. When it's not in use - I send it to the ceiling - with a chain lift strung up to a truss... then it's out of the way when not in use.

If you look close at this picture -- you can see it swinging in the air at the end of the florescent light.

http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad33/gregweld/Shop%20Pix/IMG_1012.jpg

[jy211]

Thanks for the suggestions. The garage door faces south. It's just hot as hell in the garage. At my warehouse I have a port-a-cool unit, but that's too much of a pita to bring back and forth.......

[GregWeld]

I see you're in Miami --- WOW --- I don't know how anyone could work on anything in the heat and humidity down there.... I go to Ft Lauderdale for the big boat show -- and I can barely function. I'm just not used to it.

My Grandparents lived in Carson City, Nevada... and their house had something called a SWAMP COOLER... on the roof. I think it circulated water somehow... and they didn't need A/C ! Now --- that is a very DRY climate -- so don't know if something like that would add to your humidity problem... but I know that it was "cheap" to operate - and relatively simple if I remember right.

[ItDoRun]

Thanks for the suggestions. The garage door faces south. It's just hot as hell in the garage. At my warehouse I have a port-a-cool unit, but that's too much of a pita to bring back and forth.......

I'm in Baton Rouge, LA so I feel you're pain! My garage door faces south too. I bought some of that bubble insulation with one side being foil. I had to use 3 sheets on my door before it cut the heat down! I cut out pieces to fit between the sections of the door. I can take pictures if you need me to.

I have an older barn style wooden shop that's 30'x30'. It's insulated with the roll type R-16 insulation from Home Depot. I installed a Whirlpool 18,500 BTU window unit in it and it made all the difference in the world. We're in the 100+ temps including heat index through July and August too.

[jy211]

I'm in Baton Rouge, LA so I feel you're pain! My garage door faces south too. I bought some of that bubble insulation with one side being foil. I had to use 3 sheets on my door before it cut the heat down! I cut out pieces to fit between the sections of the door. I can take pictures if you need me to.

I have an older barn style wooden shop that's 30'x30'. It's insulated with the roll type R-16 insulation from Home Depot. I installed a Whirlpool 18,500 BTU window unit in it and it made all the difference in the world. We're in the 100+ temps including heat index through July and August too.

I was actually thinking of buying that bubble insulation and trying it. This is what I was gonna buy: http://www.carguygarage.com/gadoin.html
I'd like to put a window unit in the garage, but the garage has no windows....:wow: Just the entrance door into the house and the garage door...

[GrabberGT]

I've tried the foil wrapped bubble insulation from Home Depot. I'd like to think it helps a little. I have no insulation in the outer walls with the only insulated portion being the one wall connected to the house. When the temps outside are over 100 I'll shut the garage door and leave the door open to the house with a circulation fan to move the cooler air around the garage. This will bring the temps down from 110 or so to around 95. It helps but still not the most comfortable working environment. I'm kicking myself for not making the small investment in insulating the walls while the house was being built. Oh well. There is always the next house.

[GregWeld]

What's the problem? Just rip the sheetrock off -- and put some insulation in there!!! There's probably a lot of sheetrockers looking for work right now... so should be cheap to re-do it. LOL

Oh - and while you're at it - fire off the ol' chainsaw and put a window in there! And some A/C hanging out of it...

Now you got yourself a man room!!
:lol:

[ItDoRun]

I was actually thinking of buying that bubble insulation and trying it. This is what I was gonna buy: http://www.carguygarage.com/gadoin.html
I'd like to put a window unit in the garage, but the garage has no windows....:wow: Just the entrance door into the house and the garage door...

That's the same type I used (not the exact name brand). Like I said, I had to use three sheets per door section. You could still fry eggs with just one installed. Zero heat coming off of it now. :thumbsup:

Call your local metal building supplier and get a price on a roll of it. It may be cheaper??? I had a roll left over from a building that was put up at my dad's business.

I actually just cut a hole in my wall and installed the window unit.

[camaro2nv]

I use a Porta Cool. Its a big swamp cooler on wheels. You hook a hose up to one end to get the water flowing. I love it, it makes a BIG difference.

[jy211]

I use a Porta Cool. Its a big swamp cooler on wheels. You hook a hose up to one end to get the water flowing. I love it, it makes a BIG difference.

I have one of those for my warehouse :thumbsup: , just to big to tote around...

[waynieZ]

My house has boxes that are made for A/C units in the walls . They look like window units but are made for through wall instalation. You could put them up high and not lose any wall space.

[texas56]

We use a swamp cooler on one end(you can see it in the back ground of pic) and we use a big fan at the other. I agree, this 100 percent humitdy and 100 degree weather makes for a loooong day. And the worse ones are the ones when it is like this and you have been on grinder all day and your skin is covered with shavings and dirt:mad: If you go with a swamp cooler, you can also throw frozen 2 liter jugs of water or sacks of ice in it and it makes a big difference in temps.

[rixtrix1]

There's a lot of retrofitting of old heatpumps with one of the new super-efficient ones and you can probably pick one up for a song. When I got my new house unit, I asked about keeping the old one (over 20 years old)for the new garage. The dealer said just to let him know when I wanted one and he would sell me a 5 year old takeoff unit for $100. Said to pour a slab outside and duct it through the wall. Cheap heat and A/C.